Albany Senior AdvisorWhere do I complain about an assisted living residence near Albany?
Complaints about any adult home, enriched housing program or Assisted Living Residence go to the New York State Department of Health's adult care facility complaint line, 1-866-893-6772, staffed 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on weekdays with voicemail after hours.
The department decides whether a complaint triggers an on-site investigation, and the result later appears on the residence's NYS Health Profiles page. Describe dates, names and what happened as specifically as you can; vague complaints are harder to substantiate.
Where do nursing home complaints and discharge appeals go?
Nursing home complaints and discharge appeals go to the Department of Health's Nursing Home Complaint and Discharge Appeal Hotline, 1-888-201-4563, which takes calls 24 hours a day and is staffed during weekday business hours.
Home care agency complaints have their own line, 1-800-628-5972. Federal certification means a nursing home complaint can also affect the home's CMS inspection record once surveyors substantiate it.
What does the long-term care ombudsman do for Capital Region residents?
The ombudsman program sends trained advocates into nursing homes and adult care facilities to help residents resolve problems with care, rights and discharges, free of charge and on the resident's side.
Catholic Charities Senior and Caregiver Support Services in Schenectady, (518) 372-5667, runs the program for Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schoharie, Warren and Washington counties. Columbia and Greene counties are served by the Long Term Care Community Coalition's Hudson Valley program, (845) 229-4680. The statewide office answers at 1-855-582-6769.
Who handles suspected abuse of an older adult living at home?
Suspected abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of an adult living in the community goes to Adult Protective Services in the county where the person lives; call 911 first if someone is in immediate danger.
Albany County APS is reached at (518) 447-7177, Schenectady at (518) 388-4470, Rensselaer at (518) 833-6181 and Saratoga at (518) 884-4159. Numbers for the other five counties are on each county page.
What should I write down before making a complaint?
Record the date and time, what you saw or were told, who was involved, who you already raised it with at the facility and what they said, and keep copies of bills, notices and photos.
A short written timeline makes every later call easier, whether to the department, the ombudsman or an attorney. Families are allowed to complain without the resident's permission when health or safety is at stake.
Side by side
| Call this number | Not this one | |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted living problem | 1-866-893-6772 (adult care facilities) | The nursing home hotline |
| Nursing home or discharge appeal | 1-888-201-4563 | Adult Protective Services |
| Abuse at home | County Adult Protective Services | The facility complaint lines |
| Advocacy for a resident | The county's ombudsman program | The facility's own marketing office |
Where this page states a rule or a dollar figure, it relies on New York statute or regulation (Social Services Law, Public Health Law, 18 NYCRR and 10 NYCRR), Department of Health GIS messages and directories, CMS, the VA or CareScout, as named in the text. How we source facts: editorial standards.
